


Chase This Light

by carpebagel



Category: Free!
Genre: First Kiss, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-22
Updated: 2013-09-22
Packaged: 2017-12-27 08:51:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/976839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carpebagel/pseuds/carpebagel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Something's bothering Haru, and Makoto doesn't know what.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Chase This Light

Haru’s form is perfect. 

Part of the reason Makoto loves swimming with Haru so much is that he gets to watch his friend do what he does best. Haru’s strokes are so elegant, his kicks so graceful, and he swims in such a way that Makoto thinks that he and the water work together.

Makoto smiles to himself as Haru finishes his laps and takes off his swim cap. He makes his way towards his friend to pull him out of the pool, crouching at the walls edge. He offers his hand and a gentle smile, but Haru doesn’t even look at him. Haru takes his hand and gets out, paying little attention to the boy in front of him.

It doesn’t stop there, though. Haru doesn’t look him in the eye when Makoto asks him questions, and his answers become monosyllabic. Makoto notices this difference, and it unnerves him.

Something’s changed in the way Haru looks at Makoto. 

Makoto is used to Haru not saying anything to him as they walk side by side after practice. He expects it, even, because he knows how Haru works. But he doesn’t expect Haru not to look at him, as if he’s not even there.

Makoto doesn’t make anything of it. Maybe Haru’s just having a bad day, and will be over it tomorrow. So Makoto pretends everything is normal, and says his goodbyes as he normally would before walking home alone. 

Tomorrow, he’ll be better, Makoto thinks.

 

Except he isn’t. The next day, Haru is just as non-responsive. He doesn’t even look at Makoto as he pulls him out of the bathtub, and he looks at his feet the entire walk to school. At one point Makoto sees Haru staring at him in his peripheral vision, his step faltering when Makoto turns towards him. 

“Are you okay?” Makoto asks out of habit, looking at his best friend. Haru nods. Makoto’s gaze lingers, but he decides not to say anything about the incident.

As they approach the school, Makoto decides he’s had enough. “You know, Haru, you can tell me anything,” he says, offering the words to Haru tentatively. This time, Haru looks Makoto in the eyes.

“Not here,” he replies. Makoto is confused until he notices that they’re surrounded by their classmates.

“After school, then,” Makoto says and Haru nods.

“After school,” he repeats.

The promise of talking to Haru about what’s bothering him is enough to keep Makoto’s mind distracted throughout the school day. He stammers as he makes up answers to the questions teachers ask him, and only somewhat listens to Nagisa’s ramblings during lunch.

Finally, the walk home comes and Makoto finds himself feeling a bit nervous. Haru glances at his friend before starting to walk in front of him. Makoto has to job a little to catch up, but soon they fall into a slow pace side by side.

Haru says nothing.

Makoto wonders briefly if he had imagined Haru’s promise to him from earlier that morning. He sighs, and decides to proceed as normal. He talks as Haru listens, and for a while, it seems as though everything is back to normal. Haru even looks him in the eye once or twice. 

As they approach Haru’s house, Makoto grabs Haru’s wrist. Haru looks at him, startled. “Haru-chan,” Makoto says, “you said you had something to tell me. So tell me.” He surprises himself with his own abrasiveness.

Haru looks down. “I’ve never kissed anyone.”

Makoto blinks. A second passes, and he begins to chuckle. His friend is embarrassed because he's never kissed anyone! Haru looks at him angrily, and Makoto stifles his laughter. “I’m sorry, Haru –“ he begins between laughs, “It’s just that I thought it would be something bad!"

“It is bad!” Haru says. 

“It’s not, Haru. Trust me.”

“How do you know?” he asks.

“Because I haven’t either,” Makoto says as if it’s the simplest thing in the world.

“Oh,” Haru says, looking down.

A pause.

“Do you want to, then?” Haru asks.

“Sure.” His heart flutters in anticipation.

Makoto leans in slowly, eyes halfway closed. Haru meets him halfway, and they lips press gently together for what seems like eternity. 

Haru’s form is perfect.

Kissing is nice, Makoto decides.


End file.
